


Finding Home

by Ronizoni



Series: The Fox and the Hound [1]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-08 02:35:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21468652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ronizoni/pseuds/Ronizoni
Summary: Buck doesn't mean to get the dog, its just he looked so small and lonely in the shelter, and Buck knows how it feels to be lonely. Or Buck sometimes needs puppy therapy after a bad call, and then he takes one home. They both find home together.
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz, pre - Relationship
Series: The Fox and the Hound [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1549537
Comments: 17
Kudos: 309





	Finding Home

The thing is Buck isn’t actually looking for a dog, or a cat really, when he makes his way to the animal shelter, somedays after a really bad call he likes to engage into some furry baby love, and it’s a great way to help the animals get used to good human contact again. It’s just when he see’s the small trembling Pomeranian mix alone in the giant cage, he may fall in love. The volunteer that is showing him around says the dog had just come off of a stray hold, and he has alopecia and that is why he’s got missing patches of fur. The little tan thing smiles at him the entire drive to the pet store from where he’s sitting in the front passenger seat. His tail is wagging and he’s got tears in his eyes, but Buck can tell he’s so happy to be gone from that cold concrete cage that his heart aches with sadness for all the other animals who didn’t find their home that day.

The pair stops at a Petco, its a little later in the evening and the normal small mom and pop stores he likes to frequent are closing, and the Petco grooming salon has an opening for a full groom that the little guy, Todd as he’s started calling him due to his fox face, sorely needs. Todd cries as he’s left in the hands of the groomer, low and mournful, and it breaks Buck heart, but he needs all the the things. 

“It’s okay sir, this happens all the time,” The groomer, a middle aged man, tells him handing a coupon book over, “Take this, all rescue parents get them for free when they bring in the adoption papers.” Buck thanks him, then walks into the store grabbing a cart that he quickly fills with toys, treats, food, and safety items for little Todd. He was told he was around four, but the slight graying around his muzzle tells him that he may be older. 

The thing is, that first night with Todd in his apartment, the little fuzz ball sleeping next to him curled up tight under his arm smelling of oatmeal and honey, is the best night of sleep Buck has gotten since the bombing, since the lawsuit, and since he came back to the station. He doesn’t wake up with nightmares, and he definitely doesn’t wake up in the morning gasping for air when he can hear the sprinklers going off three floors below him. Thats when Buck thinks that they may be rescuing each other. 

—- 

Todd sleeps all day, he likes to hide under Buck bed, while he’s at work. He’s afraid of the tile in the kitchen, and barely tolerates the wooden floor as he crosses the apartment to get to his food bowl, where he will only eat if it is beside his bed (that he only uses to eat in), and if Buck moves his feet too fast Todd will shoot across the room and hide in the corner between the couch and the wall. The toys buck bought for him all unused in a small plastic flower pot in the corner beside the TV. Todd is also the quietest dog Buck has ever met in his life, and he’s also the sweetest. 

It takes a whole three weeks for the 118 to learn about Todd, mainly because Buck hasn’t been in a talking mood, there is still a subtle divide in the station, and wounds are slowly healing, but Buck is more closed off, more reserved. He knows now that he is replaceable, that his spot on the team can be filled, and he doesn’t want to open his heart back up, only for it to be crushed again. 

“Can you watch Christopher?” Are the words that end up being the downfall of Bucks not so secret, but still a secret new dog. Eddie has to help his Abuela around the house, some repairs, and Christopher doesn’t need to be around the smell of plaster and caulk Eddie tells him, “The oder and the chemicals give him migraines, and we all agreed that if you could watch him it would be best,” Buck smiles, thinking about the other stash of toys in his living room, kept safe in the storage part of his ottoman. 

“Christopher is always welcome,” Buck tells Eddie, a big grin on his face, “His father,” He pauses impishly, “Well that is debatable at best.” Eddie rolls his eyes, and lightly pushes at Bucks shoulder, Buck is smiling, and his chest feels even lighter now. He doesn’t mention Todd, he already knows that Christopher isn’t allergic to dogs, and while he’s not quite sure how Todd will react to a child, he knows that if Todd gets overwhelmed that he has the entire loft to relax in. 

—— 

It turns out that Christopher and Todd are both jealous of each other, each trying to out cute the other to keep Bucks attention, Christopher in his own right is having Buck help him build a fire station out of his giant bin go legos, and Todd has planted himself firmly in Bucks lap, and constantly nudging at his hand with his nose, whining softly. His boys have never had to compete for his attention before. 

Hours later, legos are scattered all across the living space, Star Wars is playing softly on the TV, and Eddie finds his boys asleep on the couch, Christopher drooling into Bucks Chest, and Todd on his back feet in the air nuzzled up into Bucks face. They’re all snoring, and Eddie smiles because he feels like he’s home for the first time in a long time.


End file.
